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Saturday, December 7, 2013

Epperson v. Arkansas case brief

Epperson v. Arkansas case brief summary
393 U.S. 97 (1968)

CASE SYNOPSIS

Plaintiff teacher brought an action that
sought a declaration that an Arkansas statute, Ark. Stat. Ann. §§
80-1627 and 1628, that made it unlawful for a teacher in a
state-supported school to teach evolution, was unconstitutional. The
Arkansas Supreme Court reversed the chancery court's decision and
held that the statute was a valid exercise of the state's power to
specify the curriculum in its public schools. The teacher appealed.

CASE FACTSThe teacher had challenged the
constitutionality of the Arkansas law that made it a misdemeanor to
teach the evolution theory and subjected her to dismissal from her
position.

DISCUSSION

The Court did not rest its decision
on the vagueness of the Arkansas statute, but held that the statute
could not stand because the State of Arkansas' right to prescribe the
curriculum for its public schools did not carry with it the right to
prohibit, on pain of criminal penalty, the teaching of a scientific
theory or doctrine where the prohibition was based upon reasons that
violated the First Amendment.

There was no doubt that Arkansas
had sought to prevent its teachers from discussing the theory of
evolution.

Thus, the Arkansas law could not be defended as an act of
religious neutrality because the State did not seek to excise form
the curricula of its schools and universities all discussion of the
origin of man.

The law attempted to blot out a particular theory
because of its supposed conflict with the Biblical account.

CONCLUSIONThe Court reversed the decision of the
state supreme court.

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